Jamie Oliver’s Beef Stew

When it’s chilly and damp outside, there’s nothing quite like coming home to already-made beef stew that is seriously high on the flavour and tenderness metre. A bottle of good red wine and some fresh, crusty bread and I’d say you’re good to tuck in for the evening. The beauty of this recipe is how amazingly easy and fast it is for the taste payoff–think boeuf bourguignon with hardly any work. I’m in.

Jamie Oliver’s Beef Stew
(serves 6)

olive oil
knob of butter
1 onion, chopped
handful fresh sage leaves
800 grams stewing beef or beef skirt (cut into 5cm pieces)
flour to dust
2 parsnips, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and quartered
1/2 squash, peeled and diced
500 grams small potatoes
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1/2 bottle good red wine
285 ml organic beef or veggie stock
zest of 1 organic lemon
handful rosemary leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced

Add oil and butter to large pot or stove-safe casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add onion and sage leaves and fry until lightly browned, about three to four minutes. Toss the meat cubes in flour well seasoned with salt and pepper. Add to pan will all of the veggies, tomato purée, wine and stock, and mix together. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil over high heat, place lid on top and cook in the oven for three to four hours on 300°F. After three hours, test the meat by mashing it with a fork. If it falls apart easily, it’s ready! Once cooked, you can keep the stew heating at 225°F until ready to serve.
Create the topping by mixing together the rosemary leaves, garlic and zest. Sprinkle on top of each bowl when serving – this part is key! It tastes and smells amazing. Enjoy!

Taking Sides

Along with this watermelon salad, these dishes have been summer favourites for their simplicity and easy pairing with grilled meats and other barbecued meals. Both are light and healthy but have flavours that will carry well into the Fall, so I have no plans on putting a halt on making either anytime soon!

Crisp Garlic Kale Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts
(serves 2)
1/2 bunch of kale
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 clove of garlic, sliced
2-3 tablespoons of pine nuts (or slivered almonds)
2 tablespoons of dried cranberries
salt and pepper

After rinsing and drying the kale, strip leaves from each stem. Bunching the leaves together, use kitchen scissors to shred the kale into thin strips.
Place a pan over medium-high heat, and once hot, add the nuts and toast for a few minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Watch carefully to avoid burning! Remove to a small bowl.
Add oil to the pan, and once hot, add garlic slices and swirl pan around to move around the garlic and flavour the oil. Add kale leaves and use tongs to move them around quickly and coat with oil until lightly crisp, about five minutes. Add nuts and cranberries, toss together, and place pan off heat. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Shrimp Salad with Cucumber and Fennel
(serves 4)
1 lb. shell-on shrimp
1 fennel bulb, sliced crosswise 1/4″ thick, fronds reserved
1 English cucumber, sliced 1/4″ thick
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced into rings
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil or less
1/4 cup small dill sprigs

Cook the shrimp in a large pot of simmering salted water until bright pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain and let cool. Peel and devein the shrimp and place in a large bowl.
Add fennel, fennel fronds, cucumber, onion, and lemon juice and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Add dill and lemon zest and toss again; season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Top with more pepper just before serving. If making ahead, cover and chill.

Adapted from Epicurious.com.

Petits Fours

Making guacamole in my new molcajete: 2 avocados, half a roma tomato, small onion wedge, lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt. If prepping for guests, keep the pit handy to help keep the avocados from browning too quickly.

Prepping some birthday roses for a friend – these cabbage roses are a favourite!

Hard to resist the sailboats and pink umbrellas at Sugar Beach come summer.

This watermelon feta salad is practically a summer barbecue requirement.

Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta…That’s Vegan (Shhh!)

Okay–so I am clearly not opposed to dairy products, but I do use almond milk for most “milk” purposes, save for in my lattes. (Have you ever tried to steam almond milk? It’s pretty disgusting and comes out like a weird dairy-like sponge…) Anyway, I received the Oh She Glows cookbook a couple of months back as a gift and was intrigued by a few of the recipes, which offered up some interesting, healthier alternatives for meals that didn’t seem too offensive.

Since I pretty much cut out pasta from my regular diet over the last year (I’ll still eat it on a night out, or make it at home maybe once a month), I was curious to try this recipe first to see how it would measure up as a guilt-free option. The main substitute is using blended cashews in place of cream or butter to get a really satisfying, creamy finish that’s similar to a “rose” sauce. Don’t get me wrong – this won’t blow you away à la a Batali or Jamie Oliver pasta dish, but it is very tasty and is a great sub if you’re in the mood for pasta (with leftovers!) and want to avoid using cups full of butter, oil and cream. Plus, I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it to guests for a casual lunch or dinner.

Oh She Glows Tomato Basil Pasta
(serves 3-4)

1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup unsweetened, unflavoured almond milk
255g uncooked pasta (I used gluten-free brown rice fusilli)
1 teaspoon olive oil (or coconut oil)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh or canned tomatoes (I used whole, canned plum tomatoes, just “squished” into the pan)
3 handfuls spinach
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt + pepper

Place the cashews in a small jar or bowl, cover with water and let sit for at least two hours or overnight. Drain, rinse, and combine with almond milk. Blend until smooth and thick. Set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cool pasta al dente, according to package instructions.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for five to ten minutes until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes (do not use the liquid if using canned) and spinach and cook for ten more minutes over medium-high heat, until spinach has wilted. Stir in cashew cream, basil, tomato paste, oregano and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for five to ten more minutes until heated through.

Add cooked pasta to the pan and stir until well combined with sauce. Serve with fresh basil (and shredded parm if you’re not vegan…!) Enjoy!

Ultimate Lobster Sandwich

About a month ago, I had brunch at Rock Lobster here in Toronto for the first time. After ordering their delicious B-L-L-T, a triple-decker BLT sandwich with lobster, I was inspired to re-create it at home. There’s no need for subtlety here– I’ll just come out and say it– it was to.die.for. So indulgent, in fact, that I almost felt guilty eating it. Since the holidays are an ideal time to excuse indulgence, this would be an amazing treat to make for a small group of guests (or just yourself!) for Christmas brunch.

I used frozen lobster tails, which I defrosted then boiled in very salty water for five minutes, cooled and shelled. You could also use canned lobster meat, available in many grocery stores, which would make the process a lot easier and faster. The other keys to making this sandwich drool-worthy is good quailty, thick-cut bacon, fresh, thinly sliced bread (I bought an unsliced, white sandwich loaf so I could cut it extra-thin), and a flavour-packed tomato aioli in place of actual tomatoes. For the latter, I used this Bobby Flay recipe, which is fast, simple and leftovers can be stored in the fridge afterwards for use in omelettes, other sandwiches or even as a side for steak.

Ultimate Lobster Sandwich

Roasted Tomato Aioli

1 large plum tomato
1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Splash of aged sherry vinegar
Splash of Tobasco (optional)

Slice the tomato in half lengthwise and use a teaspoon to remove the seeds. Place cut-side up on a baking sheet and roast at 450°F until tender, about five minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the onions and garlic until soft, about five minutes. Mix in the paprika and cook for thirty more seconds.
Combine onion mixture, mayonnaise, vinegar and Tobasco (if using) and the roasted tomato in a blender or food processor with some salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour so all the flavours meld together.

Sandwich

4 small (or 2 large) lobster tails per person
3 very thinly sliced pieces of fresh white bread per person
2 thick slices of bacon per person
Roasted tomato aioli
Butter
Fresh dill

If using tails, start by boiling and shelling all lobster and removing to a bowl. Place bacon on a baking sheet and broil until cooked, but still tender, about ten minutes.
Heat a knob of butter in a pan over medium-high heat, and toast each slice of bread on each side and remove to a plate. After all the bread has been toasted, heat another knob of butter in the pan and saute all of the lobster pieces until warm, and season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the sandwiches by spreading one slice of bread with the roasted tomato aioli and placing the bacon overtop (slice it to fit). Cover with another slice of bread. Place the lobster meat on top, then sprinkle with some fresh dill. Top with a final slice of bread and ENJOY!

Jamie Oliver’s Beef Stroganoff

The only time I’ve ever had Beef Stroganoff was when I was working at a fancy women’s clothing shop during university and used to pop up to the cafeteria-style restaurant in the upstairs plaza for lunch. It was a very decadent dish to have midday, but I remember it being enormously satisfying and have often thought about making it myself.
Now, for such a classic dish (there are “Stroganov” recipes that date back to 19th century Russia) there are endless variations to be had, so when sourcing out something classic that wouldn’t feel too dated, I turned to someone who I know I can always trust–Jamie Oliver, of course.
This dish is a perfect comfort dish as we head into the holiday season, and is surprisingly quick to whip up–which is perfect for before say, trimming the tree or writing out all of those holiday cards. The real key is the quality of steak that you use. Since it’s the star of the dish, it’s imperative to choose a nice cut of meat that will be tender and juicy and a pleasure to eat. I used top sirloin steaks, and you can easily get away with using one steak per two people.

Jamie Oliver’s Beef Stroganoff
(makes 4 large portions)

2 top sirloin steaks
1 large onion
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
350 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced (a variety of type is nice)
500 grams pasta “ribbons” or egg noddles
300 ml sour cream (just over 1 cup)
fresh dill

Slice the steaks crosswise into one centimeter strips, then cut each strip lengthwise into two more strips. Season all of the meat well with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the entire onion.
Drizzle oil of your choice into a large pan over high heat. When the oil is very hot, add in the steak strips and brown for a few minutes on all sides (work in batches, if necessary). Remove steak to a separate plate and set aside.
Add more oil to the pan and place over low-medium heat. Add the onions and paprika and cook until soft but not browned, about ten minutes. While onions are cooking, cook pasta in a separate pot according to package instructions. After ten minutes, add the mushrooms to the onions and cook until done, about three more minutes.
Add steak and sour cream to the pan and mix well. Remove from the heat and season well with salt and pepper. Add in strained noodles to combine, or serve the sauce over the noodles in each portion. Garnish with a healthy portion of fresh dill. Enjoy!

Fall Salad with Apples and Buttered Hazelnuts

This time of year often brings on the mood for tucking in with a warm, comforting dish that goes well with a glass–or bottle–of full-bodied red wine. It’s barely November and the grey, damp days have already seen some of my favourite cold-weather dishes pass through the kitchen, including meatloaf, spaghetti Bolognese and roast beef. To encourage myself to get back to some lighter fare, I decided to whip up a side salad that would still feature some seasonal flavours. It especially pairs well with roast lamb or pork, or even steak.

Fall Salad with Apples and Buttered Hazelnuts

2 bunches fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
1 red delicious apple, thinly sliced and quartered
handful of hazelnuts (skin-on), chopped
2 tablespoons butter

Dressing
1/4 cup shallots, diced
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup olive oil

Prepare the dressing ahead by mixing together the shallots, vinegars, sesame seeds and paprika. Combine with sugar, then slowly whisk while adding in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat and add in chopped nuts. Toast while stirring until fragrant and lightly golden, about four minutes. Remove to a bowl and let cool.

If serving right away, pour desired amount of dressing over the spinach leaves in a serving bowl. Toss well to evenly coat, then arrange apple slices and toasted hazelnuts on top. Enjoy!

Spanish Rice with Lobster and Shrimp

I think of this flavourful dish as kind of hybrid between risotto and paella. The salmoretta sauce that you serve overtop has a lovely, light flavour that could easily be re-purposed alongside other fish or chicken dishes to give them a little extra kick.

While the lobster and shrimp are obviously an indulgent accompaniment to the rice here, the recipe would also work very nicely done with chunks of sauted chicken and/or chorizo instead.

Spanish Rice with Lobster and Shrimp
(serves 2-4)

1/2 tsp. saffron
1/3 cup boiling water
2 medium tomatoes, halved
1/2 Vidalia onion, peeled, cut into wedges
1/2 long red chili
6 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced shallots
225g shimeji mushrooms
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup Albufera or Arborio rice
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
250g lobster, shell(s) removed
1 cup shrimp, shells removed

Steep the saffron in boiling water for 20 minutes. Strain and discard the saffron. Make a salmorreta sauce by placing the tomatoes (cut side up), onion wedges and chili on a baking sheet and brush with one tablespoon of olive oil. Place under a pre-heated broiler until brown and blistered, about three minutes.

Skin and seed the tomato and chili and add to a food processor with the vinegar, parsley and cilantro. Turn it on and add about four tablespoons of olive oil slowly, until it’s incorporated. Season with salt as needed.

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms and saute until softened, about three minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups of stock and the saffron water and bring to a boil. Add in the rice, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, adding in the remaining stock, until rice is cooked through but still slightly firm, about fifteen minutes.

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add in garlic and cook for one minute. Add in shelled lobster and shrimp and saute until pink and cooked through, about three minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove seafood, then add garlic butter to the rice.

Serve rice in individual dishes, top each with salmorreta sauce, lobster and shrimp, and a few cilantro leaves. Enjoy!

Recipe from Lucy Waverman for The Globe and Mail.

Roast Pork Rub

As I’ve said before, I love a good roast for its ease, time efficiency and wealth of leftovers. However, I often find with pork roasts that they can easily taste dry and/or flavourless. In the effort of spiking this one up a bit, I whipped up this rub and the results were excellent. If you have time, you would also do well to leave it on for up to an hour before roasting to really jack up the flavour.

Roast Pork Rub

1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh pepper
Low sodium chicken stock

Place the pork roast on a baking sheet. Use a small, sharp knife to poke holes all-over the top of the roast. Combine all of the ingredients together and massage over top, making sure to use extra mix around the knife holes. Fill the bottom of the baking pan with a half inch of chicken stock. Roast at 400°F for about 45 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool for about ten minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Drunken Tequila Shrimp

After having a whack of shrimp left over from a previous dinner, I was looking to experiment with a new dish and stumbled upon this recipe. I liked that it had few ingredients and was short on prep time, but was a little concerned about never having actually attempted to flambé anything before.

Armed with extra-long matches and my sturdiest cast iron pan, I gave it a go and it turned out great. The tequila adds a lot of interesting flavour, but avoids tasting like you marinated your shrimp in a summer cocktail. Don’t be alarmed at how long the liquor takes to burn off (or how high the flames are), just stand back and carefully shake the pan from time to time wearing a good quality oven glove.

Tequila Shrimp

1.5 lbs. large shrimp (think about 20 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
1 bunch green onions, chopped on the diagonal
fresh cilantro
kosher salt and pepper

Toss shrimp with salt and pepper and set aside. Place coconut oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add shrimp and sauté until they’re pink and opaque, about five minutes.

Turn heat down low and slowly pour the tequila into the pan. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and use a long match to set fire to the tequila. Careful here – flames may be big and shoot up high. Stand back and carefully shake the pan as the flames die down.

Once the fire has subsided, remove the pan from the heat and add in cream. Mix well and sprinkle with green onions and chopped cilantro. Serve over brown rice and/or quinoa and enjoy!